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Supporting the Afghan Ministry of Interior

Client name: UK Department for International Development (DFID)

Duration: 2011 - 2015

Location: Afghanistan

The Strategic Support to the Ministry of Interior (SSMI) program is strengthening the capability of the ministry to provide strategic direction to, and oversight of, the Afghan National Police in order to improve its performance.

Situation

By the end of 2014, international forces will leave Afghanistan and Afghans will take full responsibility for their own security. The Ministry of Interior, which oversees the police, has to be ready to protect the population and respond to citizens’ policing needs.

Solution

More effective leadership at the Ministry of Interior - The transition to full Afghan responsibility for security will require strong leadership at the ministry. SSMI is building the leadership skills of current and future ministry leaders.

Improved policy, planning and programming mechanisms - SSMI is working to improve the policy, planning and programming mechanisms of the ministry and the police. The program is increasing police officers’ understanding of policy and strategy. It has also created a framework for developing and implementing policy at the provincial level based on strategic direction from the ministry in Kabul.

Improved communication with the public - SSMI is working to improve how the Ministry of Interior and the police communicate with the public, and is helping create better channels for the public to voice its concerns to the ministry and police.

Better budgeting for greater financial accountability - SSMI is helping the Ministry of Interior submit accurate budgets, based on strategic need, to the Ministry of Finance.

Result

SSMI has already realised the following results:

the program arranged targeted study visits, and provided scenario-based leadership exercises as well as 12 three-day workshops on leadership competency to over 100 participants. According to a survey of ministry staff, the majority of leaders who had attended the training have shown “very noticeable improvement” in leadership competency over the last year. Ministry staff are now much more able to respond to problems and develop solutions than previously

SSMI trained 500 police in policy and strategy. The SSMI-developed policy and strategy curriculum has now been formally incorporated into the Police Staff College Promotion to Major course. SSMI has also taught the curriculum to all instructors at the college so they can teach it to others

SSMI was instrumental to establishing the National Consultative Council, the first forum where members of civil society organisations can publicly discuss their policing concerns with the Minister of Interior

under SSMI mentorship the ministry sent out public service announcements to 9 million people via text messages. The messages were about traffic accidents, one of Afghanistan’s biggest killers

redesign of Ministry of Interior website to make government activities easier to understand and foster greater transparency with the public. The site is now one of the most visited government sites and allows for direct communication between the public and the Ministry

in 2013, for the first time, 100 per cent of the planned expenditures the Ministry of Interior budgeted for for the coming year were broken down by individual activities